After merging with Northwest, Delta became the largest airline worldwide. Since then, United and American have also claimed that title after merging with Continental and US Airways respectively. However, still, Delta has remained one of the favorite airlines for a large share of population that travel by air. The products of Delta vary greatly based on what route you are flying and what class of service you choose. So, to help you decide which type of ticket you may want to buy while making Delta airline reservations, we are sharing this guide with you.
Things to Know Before You Make Delta Airline Booking
Delta is a part of the SkyTeam Alliance that includes other airlines also, such as Aeromexico, Air France, KLM, Korean Air, and China Eastern. Besides, Delta has also codeshare partners with airlines, including GOL, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, and WestJet, which allow Delta to sell airline tickets virtually all across the globe. So, it is not always clear which airline you will actually be flying.
A flight can be marketed and sold as a Delta flight but the operating partner may be one of Delta’s partners. If you want to ensure that you are flying on a Delta plane on routes where both Delta and its partners operate, carefully read the flight details to see if it is operated by another airline. Delta sells tickets to many places where they don’t fly. In such cases, you will be likely connected to a partner airline.
The main hubs of Delta airlines are Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, and Salt Lake City. Besides, it also has a few other focus cities, such as Cincinnati, Seattle, and Los Angeles. While flying from a small city, you will often fly on a Delta branded plane but the flight might be operated by a smaller regional airline. Many different regional airlines operate small and medium-haul flights under the Delta Connection. Though everything appears to be of Delta, the staff people are technically not Delta employees and therefore, certain procedures may vary.
Which class ticket to book – Basic Economy or Main Cabin???
In the beginning, Delta was the first major US carrier to introduce a Basic Economy (E Booking Class) fare in order to compete with ultra-low-cost-carriers like Frontier and Spirit. Basic Economy passengers are seated in the same cabin as the ones who purchase a Standard Economy (Main Cabin) ticket. However, there are a few differences between both classes.
The major distinction is that the Basic Economy does not get a seat assignment until check-in. Besides, ticket changes or upgrades are not allowed with Basic Economy tickets, and you will be in the last boarding group. Since you are last to board, you may not enjoy enough space for your bag in the overhead bin. However, you will be able to gate check for free.
For all domestic flights and most international flights, the fees for checked bags are the same for both class passengers. Recently, Delta made some adjustments to compete with transatlantic low-cost carriers, such as Norwegian and WOW Air.
The cheapest fare for Delta airlines booking you will usually see is going to be a Basic Economy Fare. The upgrade to a Main Cabin Fare changes based on the route and specific travel dates. It can sometimes be very low and worth extra few bucks. Other times, it can be a drastic difference between both class ticket fares and you will have to decide which fare is best for you.